Free Far From Home 16: Spectre by Tony Healey Page B

an' see if we had any rolls of optic cable. Next thing I know, boof! She's coming at me, shouting her bleedin' mouth off, throwing boxes at me 'ead!"
    "Will? Do you want to go down there and have a chat?" Shaw asked his second in command.
    "Uh . . . no, not really," the Commander admitted. "She's in-season right now. I daresay it's why she's flying off the handle."
    Getting on the wrong side of a Mantipor in heat wasn't exactly at the top of his bucket list.
    Punk folded his arms. "I don't know if I can keep up with it, mate. Honest I don't. Might 'ave to get meself a transfer, she carries on."
    "I'll talk to her," Will said. Another loud series of crashes and thumps came from the back end of the Spectre. Commander Ardai swallowed. "Later, when she's calmed down."
    "Good call," Captain Shaw said. He looked up at the lights over the airlock door, willing them to turn green so he could get off the ship fast as possible. They remained frustratingly red.
    "It's not good for me rep, sirs, you know wot I'm talkin' bout, dontchya?"
    "We do," Captain Shaw said. "Leave it to us. Maybe we'll have to have her, you know, looked at or something."
    Will scoffed. "Yeah, good luck with that one."
    "That or find 'er a mate . . ." Punk mused.
    Mercifully , the lights over the airlock turned green. "Thank God," Shaw said, swiftly exiting the ship before the conversation could go any further.
    "Wot 'bout the rest o f us?" Punk asked.
    "I'm with the Captain. You three leave the ship and have a wander. But report back. Let's not have this turn into another fiasco like we had on Romycin. Behave yourselves."
    "Right you are, mate. I'll, uh, let ole Kalar tell 'er we can leave, though, eh? Think I better steer clear for a couple of hours," Punk said. He headed for the bridge. Will watched him go, shook his head, then followed after the Captain, glad to be out of Barbie's way himself.
     
     

     

2.
     
    "What are we going to do about that bloody Mantipor, Will?" Captain Shaw asked him when he'd caught up. "She gets more hormonal all the time."
    "Maybe she really does need to see a doctor," Will said. "It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."
    "I agree. But who'd break that one to her?"
    Commander Ardai did not put himself forward for that particular mission. He remained respectfully silent.
    "Anyway, I can worry about Barbie later. By the time she's got off the ship, blown some steam, she'll be right as rain. I'm more concerned about this meeting. Me and Grimshaw go way back, but I have a feeling this is going to be a big job."
    "Yeah?"
    Shaw nodded. "This is only the second time since joining Shadow Force that Grimshaw's asked me to 'help him with something sensitive.' His words. And that particular mission didn't turn out too well for all concerned," he said.
    "Really? What was it?"
    "Classified. You know how it is. Wait till I'm drunk and I just might tell you. For now, let it be known that I go to this mission with no small amount of trepidation," Captain Shaw said. They arrived at Grimshaw's office. "Commander, did I get a little . . . maudlin last night?"
    "Bit," Will lied.
    A lot.
    "Sorry. You know it's not my style. But I've a lot on my mind lately," Shaw said. "Perhaps I've been hitting the bottle too often. It's not the way to deal with anything."
    "No, it's not. You know, sir, you can always–"
    Captain Shaw smiled and laid a hand on Will's shoulder. "That I do, kid. Stick around, won't you? I'm hoping this won't take too long."
    * * *
    Will Ardai waited outside Grimshaw's office while Captain Shaw was inside. There was little to do except look one way then the other. He wished he'd had the foresight to bring something with him. Maybe even a book.
    Shaw would, no doubt, have been more than happy to lend him A Tale Of Two Cities  . . .
    No. Anything but that.
    Will leaned against the wall, arms crossed, bored as hell. Ahead of him, a woman dressed in a captain's uniform turned the corner, stopping in her tracks as her